JONATHAN ALLEN & MEREDITH SHINER
Politico
November 5, 2009

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t
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Thousands of tea party activists descended on Washington Thursday to protest the trillion-dollar health care bill and government spending, holding signs protesting Barack Obama’s agenda while aiming chants of “You work for us” at the Capitol building.

The gathering was organized by local tea party groups around the country, who are arriving in Washington this morning by the busload. Conservative leaders in Congress, led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), have taken to the airwaves to encourage the activists to show up on the Capitol steps and demand meetings with members of Congress. The crowd grew to about 10,000 by noon — a significant gathering for a weekday but far fewer than the 9/12 protests earlier this fall. Bachmann has promised to lead some protesters to a press conference inside the Capitol to express their opposition to the health care bill in person to members of Congress.

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) actually invited the thousands of protesters to go into the House buildings to try to meet their member of Congress after the rally.

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